1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an output apparatus such as a printing apparatus which is connected to an external apparatus such as a host computer or the like so that they can communicate and also relates to an output environment setting method.
2. Related Background Art
Generally, as one of peripheral equipment connected to a host computer, there is a printing apparatus for fetching data which is supplied from the host computer and outputting the data in a predetermined format.
The printing apparatus has a plurality of functions and holds a group of data to manage a menu structure for setting a printing environment which was set for those functions. Similarly, a group of data to manage a menu structure for setting a printing environment is held in the host computer. The data group to manage the menu structure for setting the printing environment is individually managed by the printing apparatus and the host computer, respectively.
When the data from the host computer is outputted from the printing apparatus, the user executes a setting operation to the printing apparatus and the host computer so that the set contents of the data group to manage the menu structure for setting the printing environment of the printing apparatus and the set contents of the data group to manage the menu structure for setting the printing environment of the host computer coincide.
However, since the data group to manage the menu structure for setting the printing environment is individually managed by the printing apparatus and the host computer, respectively, when the data from the host computer is outputted from the printing apparatus, it is necessary for the user to execute the setting operation for making the set contents of the data group to manage the menu structure for setting the printing environment of the printing apparatus coincide with the set contents of the data group to manage the menu structure for setting the printing environment of the host computer and it is troublesome.
It is an object of the invention to provide an output apparatus and a printing environment setting method in which set contents of a data group to manage a menu structure for setting an environment and set contents of a data group to manage a menu structure for setting an environment of an external apparatus can be made coincide without executing a troublesome operation.
According to the invention, there are provided: connecting means for connecting with an external apparatus so that they can communicate; memory means for storing a data group to manage a menu structure for setting an output environment; internal environment setting means for setting an output environment on the basis of the data group; transfer means for transferring the data group to the external apparatus from the memory means through the connecting means; and external environment setting means for setting an output environment onto the external apparatus on the basis of the data group transferred to the external apparatus.
In the invention, when transfer instruction information is supplied, the transfer means transfers the data group to the external apparatus.
In the invention, when the operation to instruct the transfer of the data group to the external apparatus is executed by the user, the transfer instruction information is supplied to the transfer means.
In the invention, the transfer instruction information is supplied to the transfer means when a power source is turned on.
In the invention, there are provided: holding means for holding the previous set contents of the data group so that they can be updated; and judging means for comparing the current set contents of the data group with the previous set contents, thereby judging the presence or absence of the updating of the set contents of the data group on the basis of the comparison result, wherein when the set contents of the data group are updated, the transfer instruction information is supplied to the transfer means.
In the invention, the transfer instruction information is supplied from the external apparatus to the transfer means through the connecting means.
In the invention, the transfer instruction information is supplied to the transfer means when the data group of the external apparatus is extinguished.
In the invention, the transfer instruction information is supplied to the transfer means when the power source of the external apparatus is turned on.
In the invention, the external environment setting means updates the set contents of the transfer red data group by an operation instruction from the external apparatus, again sets the output environment onto the external apparatus on the basis of the data group whose set contents were updated, and transfers the data group whose set contents were updated to the memory means through the connecting means. The transferred data group is stored in the memory means. The internal environment setting means again sets the output environment on the basis of the data group whose set contents were updated.
In the invention, an operating method for the internal environment setting means and an operating method for the external environment setting means are identical.
In the invention, there are provided: a step of storing a data group to manage a menu structure for setting an output environment into memory means provided for an output apparatus; a step of setting an output environment onto the output apparatus on the basis of the data group; a step of transferring the data group from the output apparatus to the external apparatus through the connecting means; and a step of setting an output environment onto the external apparatus on the basis of the data group transferred to the external apparatus.
In the invention, when the transfer instruction information is supplied from the output apparatus, the data group is transferred to the external apparatus.
In the invention, when the transfer instruction information is supplied from the external apparatus, the data group is transferred to the external apparatus.
In the invention, there are provided: a step of updating the set contents of the transferred data group by an operating instruction from the external apparatus, again setting the output environment onto the external apparatus on the basis of the data group whose set contents were updated, and transferring the data group whose set contents were updated to the memory means through the connecting means; a step of storing the transferred data group in the memory means; and a step of again setting the output environment onto the output apparatus on the basis of the data group whose set contents were updated.
In the invention, an operating method for the output environment setting which is executed on the output apparatus and an operating method for the output environment setting which is executed on the external apparatus are identical.
As described above, according to the invention, the apparatus is connected to the external apparatus by the connecting means so that they can communicate. The data group to manage the menu structure for setting the output environment is stored in the memory means. The output environment is set by the internal environment setting means on the basis of the data group. The data group is transferred from the memory means to the external apparatus through the connecting means by the transfer means. The output environment is set onto the external apparatus by the external environment setting means on the basis of the data group transferred to the external apparatus. Therefore, the data group to manage the menu structure for setting the same output environment can be possessed to the external apparatus without executing a troublesome operation. The same output environment can be easily set onto the external apparatus.
According to the invention as described above, when the transfer instruction information is supplied, the data group is transferred to the external apparatus by the transfer means. Therefore, by supplying the transfer instruction information as necessary, the data group to manage the menu structure for setting the same output environment can be possessed to the external apparatus.
According to the invention as described above, the previous set contents of the data group are held in the holding means so that they can be updated. The current contents of the data group are compared with the previous set contents by the judging means. On the basis of the comparison result, the presence or absence of the updating of the set contents of the data group is judged. When the set contents of the data group are updated, the transfer instruction information is supplied to the transfer means. Therefore, when the set contents of the data group are updated, the updated data group can be certainly possessed to the external apparatus.
According to the invention as described above, since the transfer instruction information is supplied from the external apparatus to the transfer means through the connecting means, the external apparatus can possess the data group as necessary.
According to the invention as described above, the set contents of the transferred data group are updated by the external environment setting means in accordance with an operating instruction from the external apparatus. On the basis of the data group whose set contents were updated, the output environment is again set onto the external apparatus. The data group whose set contents were updated is transferred to the memory means through the connecting means. The transferred data group is stored into the memory means. The output environment is again set by the internal environment setting means on the basis of the data group whose set contents were updated. Therefore, the same output environment can be set from the external apparatus.
According to the invention as described above, since the operating method for the internal environment setting means and the operating method for the external environment setting means are identical, it is possible to prevent that the user feels a physical disorder in the operation regarding the output environment setting which is executed on the external apparatus.
According to the invention as described above, the data group to manage the menu structure for setting the output environment is stored in the memory means provided for the output apparatus. The output environment is set onto the output apparatus on the basis of the data group. The data group is transferred from the output apparatus to the external apparatus through the connecting means. The output environment is set onto the external apparatus on the basis of the data group transferred thereto. Therefore, the data group to manage the menu structure for setting the same output environment can be possessed to the output apparatus and the external apparatus without executing a troublesome operation. The same output environment as the output environment set on the output apparatus can be easily set onto the external apparatus.
According to the invention as described above, when the transfer instruction information is supplied from the output apparatus, the data group is transferred to the external apparatus. Therefore, by supplying the transfer instruction information as necessary, the same data group as the data group which the output apparatus has can be possessed to the external apparatus.
According to the invention as described above, when the transfer instruction information is supplied from the external apparatus, the data group is transferred to the external apparatus. Therefore, the external apparatus can possess the same data group as the data group of the output apparatus as necessary.
According to the invention as described above, the set contents of the transferred data group are updated by an operating instruction from the external apparatus. On the basis of the data group whose set contents were updated, the output environment is again set onto the external apparatus and the data group whose set contents were updated is transferred to the memory means through the connecting means. The transferred data group is stored into the memory means. On the basis of the data group whose set contents were updated, the output environment is again set onto the output apparatus. Therefore, the output environment on the output apparatus can be set from the external apparatus.
According to the invention as described above, since the operating method for the output environment setting which is executed on the output apparatus and the operating method for the output environment setting which is executed on the external apparatus are identical, it is possible to prevent that the user feels a physical disorder in the operation regarding the output environment setting.